As an airbag for protecting an occupant in case of collision of a vehicle, there is disclosed an airbag having a left airbag section and a right airbag section to be inflated respectively at the left side and the right side in front of the occupant, and adapted so as to be inflated by a common inflator in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-292239. In the airbag in the same publication, the left airbag section and the right airbag section are connected at the tip portions thereof with a tie panel.
The airbag is folded and stored in a case, and covered by a cover. When the inflator (gas generator) is activated and starts emitting gas upon collision of the vehicle, the airbag pushes and opens the cover and is inflated in front of the occupant. When the left airbag section and the right airbag section are inflated, a panel is extended between the tip portions (ends on the occupant' side) of both airbags.
In the airbag disclosed in the above-described Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-292239, since the left airbag section and the right airbag section are connected at the tip portions thereof with a tie panel, when the airbag is inflated, the tie panel received the lateral center of an occupant's body.